Treadle switch structure



Dec. 17, 1929.

P. R. FORMAN TREADLE SWITCH STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 19. 1927 nllxlll 111| NAM Par/'s R. fr/72027 @33% /7/'5 @Hou/Leaf L Dec. 17, 1929. P. R. FORMAN TREADLE SWITCH STRUCTELHE Filed Nov.- 19. 1927 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patentercl'Defc. 17, 1929 i' UNITED'sTATjEs PATENT OFFICE PARIs R. FORMAN, "OR RAIIWAY, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNoR 'ro NATIONAL PNRUMA'IIO COMPANY, oP-NEWNORLN. Y.,-VA CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA f Appncaunn nlednovember'le, i927., serial No. 234,538.y

rlhis inventionrelates broadly to electric treadle plates for use on vehiclesV such as streetl cars, subways, elevated n lines `and p they like.

- One of the objects of this invention is the provisionof an yimproved form of treadle structure for use'on vehicles in which the' door openingandclosing operations are at least partiallyunder the control of a treadle structure vvmounted in the plate lofthe vehicle adjacent the doors toL be operated.

- furtherobjectof this .invention is the p'rovisionof a treadle structure either of the Apivoted type or the full Heating type.

Y A further object of this inventiony is the provision of a treadle device of either of the above types ladapted for use in vehicles having relatively thin platforms so that the depth of Vthe treadle plate must be at a minimum inorder tobe accommodated therein.

Ak further object ,of this invention is the' provision of an improved treadle construction kwhich will be sufficiently sensitive so asvtoy operate atthe proper time and whichwill, atthe same time, provide a rugged construe-p, tion. i .Y A still further object ofthis inventionis the Vprovision of a unitary structure for detachable connection to a treadle plate-including resilient means for supporting the treadle 1n raised 4positlon and switch structure arranged to be operated uponldepression of the j vtreadle plate..

provision of treadle plate constructio'nfembodying the above features -which'is'relative-V yasimple in construction and employs as ew parts .aspossible These and many other objectsare securedv by the construction about to be described.-

This invention resides substantially in the f combination, construction, arrangement and relative locationv of parts as will appear more fully in the following descriptionv whentalren inv connection with the accompanying drawings. y y 4 i l v Referring to the drawings which are glven for purposes of illustration rather than in a Vlimiting sense,

Figure lisa topplan View ofthe device Y the line l--a'of Figure 1.

Y A furtherobject of this invention is the`l of this invention with Va portion of the treadle plate broken away, n

Figure 2 vis an yenlarged plan view of the resilient means employed for supporting the treadle in raisedposition, v y K Figure 3 is a vertical enlarged cross-sectional view ofthis supporting means taken on, the yline 3-3of Figure l,

, Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sec tional view of the switch structure taken on Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged cross-secr tional views ofthe device employed for guidingl the full floating type of treadle in its movement and maintaining itinproperj position. r f

' Figure 7 is a perspective view of the full floating type of treadle showing a bottom v viewthereof, and v Figure 8 is an enlarged plan view ofthe resilient supporting means'and switch struc` brakes and the car has come to astop lthe doors Iautomatically open if a' passengeris vstanding infront thereof on the, treadle plate. Upon the clearing ofthe passage ways in the vehicle so that there is no one standing on the treadleplate the doors automatically close.

The 4treadleplate structure itself includes some form of depressible plate supported in theV platform ofthe vehiclein front ofthe doors sothat a passenger stepping thereon .will cause it toV move downwardly a short distance to effect lthe operation of any device of this invention, electric, switches. `There are two general types of treadle plates, name-r ly, `the type in which one endis mounted on pivots'- and rthe other endmaintained in` Y attached thereto as, for instance inthe case slightly raised position by some form of spring structure and a full floating type in which the treadle is supported at its four corners by means of some spring construction.

This invention involves, improvements in construction of these twotypes or" treadle plates. To more clearly understand the features of the present construction reference is invade" to the drawings in Whit-3h41.' comprises angle irons vvlncl'r are' securely attached?tothe` opening formed by the Vangle irons lfso, that' the edge marked A. is adjacent the,.dc` ors.` The front edge A of the treadle isin its normal inoperative: positionraised slightly andv is adapted to be depressed downwardly upon the presence of'suiiicient Weight such as that of a passenger on the treadle.

A containers@ is mounted under thetreadle. plate `Within the depending flanges ofv` the treadle plate and has mounted therein an cnclosed box comprising t-he portions 8 and 9 Which are held therein, by means of the latch construction 5. All the parts Within the boliv 9 land cover'S comprise a unitary structure for detachable n'iounting on the treadle. plate. An armoured cable 6 encloses the wires leading to the switch structure. from Figure 1 the container 8--9 includes three separate compartments. One. compartment contains the Wires leading from the cable 6 which include thewire 12'grounded tothe container, the Wire 13 conncct'edto the contact 14 in the next compartment., the Wire 15 connecting the two contact plates 16 and 17 in the next compartment and the return" Wire 18 connected tothe contact 'late 16. VThe next compartment also inclu es the spring' arms 19 and 2O which are mounted' on the plates 16 and 17 respectively. The insulatiing buttons 21v are sup )ported on the spring arms 19 and 20and projectthrough the cover S as may more clearly be seen'in Figures 4 and 7. The middle compartment may be lined if desired with a suitable insulating material 22 and the terminals of Wires 15,

' 18 and 13 are insulated alsoffrom the con-l tainer 8 0. Mounted Within thelastcompartnxent 'at-each end thereof are theU-shaped pieces 23: The structureat each-endof'this compartment is exactly theisame as' shown in Figure 1 and it is not necessary; therefore, Vto duplicate it at the other end. Su Yport-ed in notches in the U-shaped piece 23 fig. 3) .is'a short pin 2e on Whichis pivotal y mounted' the levers 25 which' have at' one end'theV proj ection 25 which also extends through an As is apparent opening in the cover 8. Another U-shaped member 26 supported in a notch (Fig. 3) in the levers 25 is provided having ay pin 27 mounted in eyelets at the ends thereof. A rod 28 is secured to the pin 27 and passes through the lbracket 29,l andlis encircled by a spiral'spring 30 Which is held thereon by means of' the Wing nut 31. Supported under the treadle and attached tothe angle irons.v

vol-ved with the exception that two of these` units are mounted-under the treadle so .that the .treadle is supported approximatelyat itsl four corners on the projections 25" of the levers 25. The treadl'e is mounted in the. traine-work' formed by the angle irons 1 which are inthis case notched as shoWnin.Figuresv 5 and'G toy receive the brackets 32 attached to Athe treadle plate for guiding the movement of the treadlc and holding'it in proper position. The only diflerencebetween Figures 5 and 6` is that inthe former' thetreadle 2 is shown in raised posit-ion and in the latter the treadle 2 is shown in depressedposition.

The operation of this construction is as follows. Referring iirst tothe pivotedtype' oftreadle when a- Weight is pressed thereupon as when aV jassenger steps on thetrea'dle plate, the trea'dle is depressed against the resistance ofspri'ngs. 30. The Weight ofthe passenger on" the treadle platev causing'the ends 25" ofthelevers 25 to move intothc box 8. 9 (Figure 3) pulling the members 26, 27, 28 and '3l to the left and compressing the spring 30. Coincidentally with the movement of the levers 25 the buttons 21 which project the sainedistance fromthe box 8-9 as the ends 25 are moved into thebox causing the spring arms '19 and'20 to Contact with thev plate 14 thus completing. the circuit of any device connected to the wires 13 and18. In the usual'systems new used thesewires would. run tort-he Well'known type of electro-magneticyalve used on pneumatic-door engines. It is, of course, to be understood that the pressures on the spring 3() may be so adjusted that the treadle plate will operate under ltheV correct pressures without being over sensitive..

In the full floatingxtype of treadle plato the treadleis supported at its four corners on the projections 25' and is thus adapted to be operated by the presence of a passenger on anypartlthereof. This construction is found tobe more sensitive to Weights imposed at any point thereon thanthe pivoted'type.` vAs is clear in Figure l the switches in each box ing type of treadle, theY wires from each of thel boxes are connected in parallel sothat on the operation of'any one of the four switches the exhaust of fluid pressure to the door engine would be energized. Inboth types of treadle as is apparent when the weight is removed from the treadle the springs 30 will cause the Y levers 25 to return them to raised normal position. f f

It will be apparent from Vthe foregoing description that I have devised an exceedingly novel and vsimpletreadle plate construction adapted for use in vehicles in which and relative association of parts will readilyl occur to those skilled in the art and I do not propose, therefore, to'be limited to the exactv features of construction shown for purposes v of illustration but rather to the scope of my invention as I claims. Y j

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

define it in the appended l. Inatreadle constructionthe ycombina-y tion with a pivoted treadleV plate of a unitary structure solely supported on said treadlein plate in raised position. y

3. In a structure as describedthe combina-1 tion with a treadle platel of means completely mounted thereon for supporting vthe treadle plate in raised position and means also completely on said treadle plate which is rendered` inoperative when said supporting means maintains saidtreadle plate inv raised position.' Y

4. In a structureas described the combination with a treadle plate of a unitary detachable structure completely supported onto said plate including resilient means for sup-` porting said treadle Vplate in raised position vand switch structure arranged to Ybe operated when the treadleplateis depressed. l

5. In a construction as described thecom-A `lbination with a depressible treadle` plate of means attached solely thereto for supporting f said plate at a plurality of points in raised position and a plurality of switches lals'oattached solely to said treadle plate in a manner as to be operated upon depression of the treadle plate.

6. In a treadle plate assemblagethe combination with a pivoted'treadle plate of means is depressed.

` be operated upon position whereby said' lmy hand on Y 1927. y

ranged to be operated when the treadle plate 7. In a treadle plate assemblage the'comibination with atreadle plate of a plurality of i magnet valve which controls the supply and" ient means for supporting the treadle in raised position and a plurality of switches vadapted to be closed upon depression of said treadle plate.

' 8.` In a treadle plate assemblagethe combination with ak depressible treadle plate of a plurality of pivoted levers arranged for movement against theresistance of 'a spring, said levers being mounted under said treadle plate anda plurality of'switches also mounted under said treadleplatefand arranged to the depression of said treadle plate. y p o Y v 9. In a unitary structure for treadle plates as described the combination with a closed containervhaving a plurality of compartments of a plurality of pivoted levers having their ends extending through one wall of said container, springs for resisting the movement` of said levers when pressure is applied to their projecting ends and switches mounted within one of said compartments having operating means alsoprojecting through one wall of said container so that they may be operated externally of said container. y

l0. The combination with a support hav-v ing an opening thereinof a treadle plate mounted in saidopening, a. plurality of levers pivotally mounted on' said treadle for supporting it anda plurality of switches arranged to be operated' upon depressionof said treadle, said levers and switches cooperating with said support.

11. In a treadle plate assemblage, thek combination with adepressible plate of agplurality of levers pivotally supported under o Y said plate and arranged to be rotated-upon depression of said plate and adjustable resilient means'for resisting the rotation of said levers kwhereby the plate is normallymaintained in raised position.

12. In a treadle plate assemblage, the combination with a depressible plate of a plurality of levers pivotally supported under said plate and yarranged to berotated upon depression of said plate and adjustable resilient means for resisting the rotation of said leverswhereby the plate isV `normally inaintained in raised position and a plurality of switches arranged to be operated upon the depression of saidplate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set this 16th day of November, A. D.,

,PARIS R. FORMAN. 

